Historic origins:
2nd (100-200 AD) century beginnings:
Lent is a Latin word that simply means 40 or 40th. In old English it can also mean “Spring time”, and can signify life out of death.
Lent began as only a week-long period of preparation for new converts during Holy Week, from Palm Sunday to Easter. New converts would spend the week in prayer and fasting, and then be baptized Easter Sunday.
The reason for this period was to make sure that new converts were ready to be baptized and to live the Christian life. Baptism was, and still is, a “line in the sand”; but especially during this time period, becoming a Christian could bring persecution. Church leaders wanted to make sure these converts understood the high calling and potential risks of conversion
From a week to 40 days:
This week-long period of preparation was eventually extended to include a longer period of 40 days.
During this time, new converts would not simply fast or prepare themselves for the high calling of the Christian life, but they would also be catechized in the fundamentals of the faith.
4th (300-400 AD) century expansion:
Eventually this period of preparation and fasting was expanded to include the entire church. History actually indicates that it was the laity who began to join new converts in their time of preparation, and found it helpful and edifying.
The idea was that all Christians should be joining in with these new converts, and returning back to the basics of the faith.
The 40 day period also came to be associated with 3 specific spiritual practices: fasting, prayer, charity (giving).
During this time, all Christians were invited to join in an intensified period of prayer, fasting from things that had gained too much control over them, and greater charity to those in need.
Formalization:
Eventually, Lent began with a service in which ashes would be applied to the forehead (in the west, it has colloquially come to be called “ash Wednesday”).
The ashes were meant to be a reminder of the consequences of sin (from dust you came, to dust you shall return) and of the new life that baptism signified: we have died with Christ, and are now new creatures in Christ.
Advent and Lent:
Eventually, the church formalized two major seasons during the church calendar year: Advent and Lent.
Advent was a time of preparation for the birth of Christ, while Lent was a time of preparation for the death and resurrection of Christ.
Advent began the year, while Lent led ended the year (eventually the season of Pentecost was also added to the church calendar during the summer months, and focused on the ministry of the Holy Spirit).
Practicing these two seasons was meant to focus Christians in on the two important works of Christ, the incarnation and the atonement.
One author, Robert Webber, has called this “Christian-year spirituality” (cf. Ancient Future Time by Robert Webber). When we purposefully focus on the two main works of Christ (incarnation and atonement) during these seasons, the idea is that we are formed more and more into Christ’s image.
Biblical roots:
40 days:
The period of holy week became extended to 40 days for an important biblical reason: 40 is an important number or time period within the biblical narrative, and is especially connected with testing and preparation.
Some important “40-day” biblical examples:
Noah’s preparation:
After the rains of the great flood subsided, Noah was forced to wait a period of 40 days before he exited the arc.
Moses’ preparation:
Moses was prepared for his task as Israel’s deliverer during a period of 40 years.
Israel’s wilderness wanderings:
Israel was rescued from Egypt and tested for 40 years in the desert wilderness.
Moses’ 40 days on the mountain:
Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai receiving God’s law before he came down to give it to the people of Israel.
Elijah’s wilderness wanderings:
Elijah spent his own 40 days in the desert before he encountered God on Mount Horeb.
Nineveh's call to repentance:
Nineveh was given 40 days to repent of her sins
Jesus’ wilderness wanderings:
Jesus himself was sent out into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, and to overcome his schemes.
This biblical example is of particular importance, as Jesus fasts during this time, and afterward is filled with the Holy Spirit and prepared for his earthly ministry.
From dust you came, to dust you shall return:
Another important theme of Lent is the idea that sin brings condemnation, but Jesus brings salvation.
During the preparation process for new converts, this was particularly important for them to understand: your old sinful self is condemned and returning to dust (cf. Gen 3). And yet by faith and signified in baptism, you are being called to a new life in Christ (cf. Rom 6).
As time went on, the Lenten season began with the “imposition”, or application or smearing of ashes to the forehead or hairline. This was to signify two things:
First, the old sinful self is returning to dust because of the curse of sin.
Second, within the Old Testament especially, “dust and ashes” represented mourning and repentance. Very often it is read in the Old Testament that people repented in dust and ashes, or sackcloth and ashes (cf. Job 42:6). The Israelites would put dust on their head as a sign of their repentance and hatred of their sin.
Journeying with Jesus to the cross and resurrection:
Finally, all of these biblical images came together and coalesced with Jesus’ journey to the cross.
Jesus says on multiple occasions to his disciples, that he must go to Jerusalem, and at Jerusalem, he must die (cf. Mt. 16:21).
We are told in the gospels that Jesus set his face like flint to Jerusalem (cf. Luke 9:51).
The gospels of Mark and Luke especially tell a detailed story of Jesus traveling to Jerusalem for this very purpose. In fact Mark’s gospel is easily split into two halves—1-8 is Jesus ministry, and 9-16 is Jesus’ journeying to Jerusalem to die.
This concept is taken up in the season of Lent, and the idea is that we as Jesus’ disciples are journeying with him to die.
During Lent, we take 40 days to travel with Jesus to die on Good Friday, and then to be raised a new creation on Easter Sunday.
Wrong ways to practice Lent:
To merit or earn our way with God:
Sometimes Lent can be associated with denying yourself—or “doing penance”---in order to earn favor with God. Although this might have become a popular practice for some—especially during the high Middle Ages—the origins of Lent as well as its development into a 40 day spiritual practice is meant to help us know who we already are in Christ (dead to sin and alive to God). Lent is not about earning, but about leaning into and appropriating the life we already have.
To show off:
During Lent, some people like to take pictures of ashes on their foreheads and post it on social media. This is so far from the original intention of Lent. In fact, we would encourage you to not wear ashes out in public if this is a temptation.
It is important to understand that there is nothing magical or special about wearing ashes on your forehead. It is really a very simple reminder that sin brings death! If it could be a temptation to “show off” your ashes, we encourage you to wash them off before you go into public, or else to not go out for long periods of time in public.
Right ways to practice Lent:
Remember your death:
Lent is all about formation and preparation. Part of being formed by Christ is remembering that sin brings death, and that Jesus has come to defeat death.
By taking ashes on your head, you are acknowledging that “from dust you came and to dust you shall return” (cf. Gen 3). You are also joining ancient Israel in mourning the continued reality of your sin through “sackcloth and ashes” (cf. Job 42:6).
Northwest will have a mid-day Ash Wednesday service on February 18th, from 12-1pm. We encourage all to attend as they are able. More information HERE.
Journey with Christ to the cross and resurrection:
Lent is above all, an invitation by Christ to travel with him to Golgatha, and to kill the old self and rise up a new creation.
By faith in Jesus, we are united to his death and resurrection (cf. Rom 6). This means the death he died, we also die. And the life he now lives, we too live!
This period of 40 days is a journey—if you are fasting, it can also be an arduous one—it’s a journey to the cross, and Christ bids us to come with him and die so that we can rise up to newness of life.
Meditate on and pray through the gospels:
One last important way to practice Lent is to spend more time in prayer and scripture. For many Christians, it is common to spend more time in the gospels, as they detail Jesus’ temptation, ministry, and journey to the cross.
Here at Northwest we are providing a 40 day reading plan through the gospel of Mark, and encourage you to take advantage of it. You can access the plan HERE
The reading plan is slow, and only reads about half a chapter each day. Spend longer meditating and praying through these passages, and allow Jesus to lead you to the cross and resurrection.